American Flat Nevada - A caravan of 43 tiny rail cars chased behind the V&T Railroad's number 18 steam engine Saturday bringing a little diversity to the region's tourism thanks to the steel track that has been laid for the railroad's reconstruction project.
 
Members of the Motorcar Operators West held their annual meeting last weekend in Virginia City, and enjoyed riding the rails between the V&T's Eastgate Siding in Carson City, and the Virginia & Truckee Railroad's station in Virginia City.
 
Tom Gray of the Virginia & Truckee Railroad, and operator of the V&T, said the group made arrangements to follow the steam train up to Virginia City riding through Mound House and past Silver City and Gold Hill in the morning, conduct their annual meeting, enjoy lunch at the Fourth Ward School, play tourist in the historic town, and then ride what they affectionately call "putt putts" back down to East Gate following the last scheduled steam train of the day.
 
Gray said after that the rail car enthusiasts could ride on the V&T rails until they had their fill.
 
The Folsom, California-based club is a non-profit organization dedicated to the restoration and safe, legal, operation of railroad motorcars.
 
They are among thousands of rail car enthusiasts around the world.
 
This club, and others like it, go on excursions anywhere they can find standard gague rail operators willing to let them ride.
 
This particular group has taken their little rail cars for rides in the Yukon, to the Pacific Northwest, to many parts of California, and now northwestern Nevada.
 
A Stagecoach resident who was enjoying the stream of tiny rail cars roll through Mound House said, "If it weren't for the V&T we wouldn't get to see this kind of thing."
 
Karren Rhodes.